#162 | Building Your Brand Without the Cringe, with Amanda Blesing

Ever struggled to talk about your expertise without feeling like you"re bragging? You’re not alone. In this empowering episode, we sit down with Amanda Blesing—former CEO turned executive coach and self-described “Fempreneur”—to unpack the art of authentic self-promotion that actually feels good. Drawing from her time in the association sector, Amanda shares how a pattern of women holding back from opportunities sparked her mission to help professionals, especially women, step into visibility with clarity and confidence. We explore:Why personal branding exists whether we like it or not—and how to own yoursAmanda’s approach to self-promotion: take the self out and stay in serviceA simple elevator pitch formula that works for any industryPractical strategies to ease into networking and public speakingGendered feedback and why we need to shift the conversationWhy your career should be treated like a strategic project—with clear 1, 3, and 5-year goals From LinkedIn tips to confidence-building moves, this episode is packed with wisdom to help you stop playing small and start showing up—on your terms. "I"ve spent my whole career making others look good—now it’s time to do the same for myself." – Amanda Blesing Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn (and mention this episode) or visit amandablesing.com to learn more about her coaching and speaking work. In this episode, I cover: 9:25 Career Journey Through Association Sector 18:08 Tacking Imposter Syndrome Head-On  27:18 Personal Branding Without Self-Promotion Cringe 36:23 Mastering the Elevator Pitch 42:37 Gender Equity Challenges and Progress 48:14 Speaking Opportuities and Career Strategy And more… Have you built a PMO from the ground up—or thinking about it? Tune in to learn how to create a solid foundation that supports growth, governance, and agility. Then, share your PMO wins or challenges—I’d love to hear your Agile Ideas. Support the show Thank you for listening to Agile Ideas! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might benefit from our discussions. Remember to rate us on your preferred podcast platform and follow us on social media for updates and more insightful content. Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, I"d really appreciate it if you could share it with your friends and rate us. Let"s spread the #AgileIdeas together! We"d like to hear any feedback. www.agilemanagementoffice.com/contact Don"t miss out on exclusive access to special events, checklists, and blogs that are not available everywhere. Subscribe to our newsletter now at www.agilemanagementoffice.com/subscribe. You can also find us on most social media channels by searching "Agile Ideas". Follow me, your host, on LinkedIn - go to Fatimah Abbouchi - www.linkedin.com/in/fatimahabbouchi/ For all things Agile Ideas and to stay connected, visit our website below. It"s your one-stop destination for all our episodes, blogs, and more. We hope you found today"s episode enlightening. Until next time, keep innovating and exploring new Agile Ideas! Learn more about podcast host Fatimah Abbouchi ...